Minnesota Wild's improved defense starting to pay off

Penalty killers are 17 for 17 in past six games

San Jose Sharks center Benn Ferriero, right, and Minnesota Wild defenseman Greg Zanon battle for the puck in the first period of an NHL hockey game in St. Paul, Minn., Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2010. (AP Photo/Andy King)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As the Wild have moved from a second-division team to a club contending for a playoff spot in the NHL's Western Conference, a case has to be made for the defense.

It's not that they are giving up so few goals — they've yielded 29 while going 8-3-1 in their past 12 games — but they have cut down on taking up residence in their own zone and allowing power-play goals.

For example, the Dallas Stars maintained puck possession during two power plays in the second period of a 4-0 victory over the Wild on Sunday night at the Xcel Energy Center, but even then, Minnesota's penalty-killers did their job.

Coach Todd Richards blamed the territorial disadvantage on weary legs as the Wild played their second game in two nights and fourth in six nights. But the Wild and goaltender Jose Theodore killed both penalties. They were 3 for 3 on the penalty kill against the Stars, extending their PK record to 17 for 17 over the past six games.

That and mastering the ability to clear the puck from their zone have been key during the Wild's climb from 13th place in the Western Conference into a four-way tie for eighth going into Monday's games.

That was particularly evident, defenseman Greg Zanon said, during road victories over New Jersey, Boston and Pittsburgh last week.

To maintain a shot at making the West's top eight, the Wild need to continue that trend, beginning with tonight's game against the Predators in Nashville.

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This team is not the Penguins, Zanon said, capable of winning 10 or 12 games in a row, "but if you win your four games in a row and lose one and get back on another four-game winning streak, you're still right there."

Cal Clutterbuck, Minnesota's leading goal-scorer with 13, said one reason the Wild have been winning is because of outlet passes from the likes of Zanon, Nick Schultz, Clayton Stoner and others on defense.

"Especially on the road these last three or four games, it seems like we don't spend that much time in our own zone," he said. "We're calm, we're collected and we're not panicking."

Kyle Brodziak, one of Minnesota's key penalty killers, also sees a difference from early-season games, when the Wild often were bottled up for long stretches by the opposition's forecheck.

"We get a puck on our stick, we make a play, it's out of our zone," he said. "It's a confidence thing. Everyone working together in our zone and supporting each other, it creates that confidence. You know there's going to be someone open for you when you get it on your tape. If one of their guys has the puck, everyone's working together to try to get it back."

It also helps that Theodore often has been spectacular, Brodziak added.

"There are going to be breakdowns," he said. "Every team in the league is good. But knowing that our goalie is going to make the save, that gives everyone a little more confidence, too."

Briefly: The Wild sent defenseman Jared Spurgeon back to the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League. He was a healthy scratch the past three games.

Theodore, who shut out the Penguins and went 3-1 with a 1.50 goals-against average and a .946 save percentage, was the NHL's pick as the third of three stars for the past week.